LeBron James opens up on willingness to address social issues

On Tuesday's debut episode of 'The Shop' on HBO, the Lakers star shed light on the motivation behind his social activism.

By NBA.com staff

James speaking at grand opening of the I Promise school on July 30 in Akron, Ohio(Getty Images)https://images.performgroup.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/21/a1/james-speaking-at-grand-opening-of-the-i-promise-school-on-july-30-in-akron-ohio_x2a3lybri3ox10puvsac2pr61.png?t=-2040218675&w=500

LeBron James has routinely used his platform to speak on social issues and Tuesday was no different, as he opened up during the debut episode of "The Shop" on HBO.

In a wide-ranging panel discussion alongside Draymond Green, Odell Beckham Jr. and Snoop Dogg, the four-time MVP spoke at length about his unique opportunity to serve as an inspiration for others and to address social issues prevalent in today's society.

"At the end of the day, when I decided I was going to start speaking up and not giving a f--- about the backlash or if it affects me, my whole mindset was it's not about me," James added. "... My popularity went down. But at the end of the day, my truth to so many different kids and so many different people was broader than me personally."

James has been critical of United States President Donald Trump on numerous occasions and was singled out by Fox News host Laura Ingraham last February for comments he made in a video segment alongside Kevin Durant which aired on Uninterrupted, a media platform co-founded by James. In regards to speaking out on politics, Ingraham said James should "shut up and dribble," a phrase which has since served as the inspiration and title for an upcoming Showtime docu-series produced by James.

Earlier this summer, James made headlines for the opening of the "I Promise School" in his hometown of Akron, Ohio which he co-funded.

For more on James' comments from Tuesday, click here for a detailed NBA media report.